Kicking a 70-yard field goal during practice, Ryan Jung stands as the top-ranked high school kicker in the United States.
Standing 1m89cm tall and weighing 88kg, Jung plays as a 12th-grade student at Milton High School in Georgia, according to USA Today. Football scouts evaluate his kicking accuracy as precise, stemming from his strong physique.
Winspipedia records show the Wolverines hold 1,026 all-time wins alongside 12 championships, though the program recently struggled to find consistent kicking options.
Michigan designated Jung as its first commitment across all positions for the 2027 recruiting class, slating him for an immediate starting role upon his arrival on campus next autumn.
Born in Korea, Jung moved to California with his parents in 2020 at age 12, initially harboring ambitions of playing soccer like Son Heung-min. The COVID-19 pandemic struck two weeks after his arrival, prompting him to kick a ball against a wall alone.
After pandemic restrictions lifted, he picked up football at school, utilizing his soccer background to transition into a kicker. He later attended IMG Academy in Florida before transferring to Milton High School to live closer to his Georgia-based family prior to college.
NFL top-tier kickers’ salaries reach $7 million as improved long-distance success rates elevate their strategic importance in tight contests. Jung models his career after Koo Young-hoe, an unrestricted free agent and former Pro Bowl selection who followed a similar path from South Korea to American football.
“The story of Koo Young-hoe, who dreamed of becoming a soccer player and successfully transitioned to football after immigrating to the United States, looks just like mine,” Jung told USA Today.
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